FranStatement

"What is Real Art made of?" 

Did Andy Warhol initiate a perpetual Rorschach artistic validity test with his Campbell Soup Cans?  Are both junk piles and Harleys works of art?  How about Hyundai's and Kia's?  If they're old and rusty, are they then transformed into wabi sabi artistic objects?  After studying and photographing acres of weeds and mountains of rusty rubble and worshipping in the highest sanctuaries of contemporary art, I would say "Absolutely YES." Common items are not always appreciated.  Photos don't all have to be of far away Egyptian pyramids as those photographed by Frick or the mountains of Ansel or of the unapproachable Beatles of Linda.  Rebar looks fine and yes, can be monumental too!

However, several times in the course of our lives, public grandiose spectacles can occur locally and cause millions of people to visit like the 4th of July Boston Pops concert and fireworks.  When the grand arrives, why not see it and enjoy?  Kinda like the real life story of my old artist friend named Joe Dasaro, who painted religious paintings with various saints and prayers all around his canvases.  I used to proofread his text for spelling mistakes and laugh when he told me that someday he would give one of his paintings to the Pope.  Well Joe had the last laugh when he got to present his painting in person during the Pope's only visit to Boston in 1979 and there was a picture of this as proof in the Boston Globe newspaper.  I'm with you Joe.

Someday a real or virtual grandiose Ferlinghetti will visit me with Segovia's winter guitar in one hand, and his famous dog on a leading leash on the other hand, to show me with my camera ready, around the real old rivers and sites of Boston, Cambridge and Everett.

FG



FranBio
-  BFA Painting, Mass College of Art
-  Graduate Courses at Harvard University Extension - Visual Arts
-  Member of Allston/Brighton Arts District
-  Member Photographic Resource Center
-  Member Marblehead Art Association

Solo Shows:
-  “Pan Left, Pan Right, Tilt Up, Tilt Down” at NewTV in Newton MA
-  "Mexican Cemetery Photos" at Honan Allston Library
-  "Alchemie Gallery" in Boston

Group Shows:
-  Boston City Hall Show
-  Boston Ahts Festival
-  Numerous Allston Open Studios
-  Newton Fall 2008/9 Art Show juried by DeCordova Curatorial fellow and staff
-  Numerous Newton Open Studios
-  17 Manhole Cover Photos in the 2003 Print Triennial show in Krakow Poland
-  Field Gallery on Martha's Vineyard

Installations:
-  “Coach Class Sunrise” Large 10 ft x 30 ft photo installation at Logan Terminal A
-  “Shelburne Falls Flower Bridge” 9 ft tall photo mural installation at Logan Terminal E

Website Presence:
-  Various Series of photo collections on www.frangardino.com
-  Participant of the Russian website "Sewers of the World Unite" http://sewers.artinfo.ru/  
-  400+ photos accepted for Google Earth maps

Collections of:
-  Museum of Fine Arts 2004 auction for young art collectors
-  Hebrew Senior Life retirement facility
-  Visiting Angels services
-  Private individuals in Boston area

Professional Activity:
-  16 years in screenprint display as art director/manager
-  18 years as manager of sales of computer graphic and printing equipment


www.frangardino.com